Sabine Lake
FAIR. 52 degrees. After another cold northern limits of redfish can be caught in the marsh ditches feeding on mullet and mud minnows. The Neches River is very low after the cold fronts, best catches in marsh canal points and rocks with 1/16 ounce jigheads on 5 inch red shad plastics. Lots of sight casting in the banks. Sheepshead and drum can be caught fishing off the bottom with a Carolina rig or live shrimp under a popping cork. Few trout catches, few flounder but neither are keepers. Report by Captain Randy Foreman, Captain Randy’s Guide Service Sabine Lake.
Bolivar
FAIR. 40 degrees. North Jetty Boat cut and East Bay producing nice catches of trout. A few catches of black drum biting dead shrimp or crab off the bottom all over the bay. Redfish are on fire with slot fish being caught daily at the jetty and Texas City Dike using mullet, and live or dead shrimp under a popping cork. Report by North Jetty Bait Camp.
Trinity Bay
SLOW. 52 degrees. Deeper reefs along the west shoreline coughing up scattered catches of speckled trout and redfish. Upper end of Trinity Bay, Tabbs, Scott, and Burnett have been slow, with few anglers finding trout, along with some sheepshead and black drum. Runoff from recent rains could affect this area. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing. Trout are hugging tight to the bottom in 12-20 feet of water due to the wind. Bait fish are with the trout by the thousands. Trout can be caught dead sticking with small jigs and swim baits. Redfish can be found in the marsh and bayous being caught on darker swim baits and gulp. Drum are plentiful in the marshes and bayous too being caught in the same baits. Sheephead are hugging tight to structure being caught in free lining live and gulp shrimp especially around pilings with rip rap close by. Be safe, be smart and pay attention to the conditions prior to your trip! Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
East Galveston Bay
FAIR. 50 degrees. Few anglers on the water due to inclement weather. Scattered speckled trout being caught by those wading with mullet imitation plugs. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter. Surface water temperature 47 degrees. The water clarity is stained for the most part, as a number of our areas have been blown out by the continual winds. The pattern remains unchanged, as success remains back in the marsh and bayou areas where one can get some protection from the wind and waves. Redfish bite is consistent in areas where good current flow has bait up against the shorelines and grass lines in 1-3 feet of water around oyster shells on Wac Attack Tails in Rollover Moon, fished with 1/8 ounce heads, as well as fished under a Fish Smack popping cork, with an 18 inch leader. The trout once again this week have preferred a super slow presentation, targeting deeper pockets close to channel bends with shell, triggering the most bites. The lighter the jig head determined by the wind and current, the better, for a slow fall, as the bites have been light for the most part. Looking forward to the warming trend this week to get the water temps on the rise. We have not seen any dead fish floating since the recent hard freeze, which is a positive for East Bay. Report by Captain Jeff Brandon, Get the Net Guide Services, LLC.
Galveston Bay
SLOW. 48 degrees. Weather has kept most anglers from trying the open bay. Scattered catches of speckled trout reported along Sylvan Beach. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
West Galveston Bay
FAIR. 52 degrees. Post freeze fishing was good. A few anglers caught some really nice trout, while others struggled to catch fish of any size. Traditional Winter spots seemed to be the best, like Offatts Bayou, Chocolate Bayou, and the Diversionary Canal. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Houston
GOOD. Water slightly stained; 58 degrees; 0.83 feet below pool. White bass are running in the creeks with great numbers being caught in the entire water column. After the rains we experienced earlier this week, it will take a few weeks to bounce back to where it is now. Crappie are in 10-16 feet of water hugging tight to structure, biting small jigs in many colors. Largemouth bass are feeding early and late around structure and around riprap fishing with worms and crankbaits. Catfish are easy pickings on live shad under a jug line around the train track bridge. Gar are chasing white bass heavily in the creeks and eating the same prey. Report by Captain Zackary Scott, Zack Attack Fishing.
Texas City
SLOW. 52 degrees. A few oversized black drums are being caught off the Texas City Dike and around the Galveston jetties. Beachfront piers on Galveston reported few anglers and those fishing are catching some whiting and the occasional oversized black drum and redfish. Report by Captain David Dillman, Galveston Bay Charter Fishing.
Freeport
SLOW. 58 degrees. Sheephead, drum, redfish and trout are good in the old river and old intracoastal. Bastrop Bay and Chocolate Bay are good for catches of trout and redfish using live shrimp, or 1/4 – 3/8 ounce jig heads. Report by Captain Jake Brown, Flattie Daddy Fishing Adventures.
East Matagorda Bay
SLOW. 58 degrees. Lots of freshwater flushing the fish out of the back lakes and Caney Creek, but the bay can be difficult to fish due to inclement weather. There was a fish kill in the back lakes due to the freeze. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
West Matagorda Bay
SLOW. 58 degrees. The tides continue to be low and rain is in the forecast. Before the rain redfish and trout were in the Diversionary Canal biting cut bait and dead shrimp. Anticipate The Colorado River to be on the rise from the rainfall up north. This will push fish out the river and the Diversionary Canal into the bay. Report by Captain Charlie Paradoski, Captain Charlie Paradoski’s Guide Service.
Port O’Connor
SLOW. 58 degrees. Fishing is slow due to the cold windy weather. As the weather warms the bite should improve heading into the weekend. Few catches of sheepshead on live shrimp throughout the jetties. A few catches of redfish inside the jetties on Spanish sardines and dead shrimp. Very few drums in the jetty apron on dead shrimp. No reports of trout catches due to the murky water. After the recent cold front a few trout and mullet trapped in the shallow water lakes were killed, but the numbers are low and should not affect the fishing. Report by Captain Marty Medford, Captain Marty’s Fish of a Lifetime Guide Service.
Rockport
SLOW. 51 degrees. The bite has slowed due to the cold front. Target trout on channel drop offs on soft plastics. Redfish should be near the spoil islands on gold spoons, soft plastics, and cut bait. Drum have been fair on mud or sand flats on dead shrimp. Report provided by Captain Damian Hubbs, Top Gun Outfitters. Best bite is in the jetties right now while bay fish are lethargic from cold water temperatures. Redfish are good on cut mullet and shrimp. Sheepshead are good on shrimp free lined against rocks. Trout are good on live shrimp and plastics along the rocks. A few redfish can be caught in the bay on cut mullet and live shrimp. Fishing deeper cuts and channels with plastics have been good for trout and redfish. Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Port Aransas
FAIR. 50 degrees. Best bite is in the jetties right now while bay fish are lethargic from cold water temperatures. Redfish are good on cut mullet and shrimp. Sheepshead are good on shrimp free lined against rocks. Trout are good on live shrimp and plastics along the rocks. A few redfish can be caught in the bay on cut mullet and live shrimp. Fishing deeper cuts and channels with plastics have been good for trout and redfish Report by Captain Kenny Kramer, Kramer Fishing Charters.
Corpus Christi
SLOW. 55 degrees. After the arctic freeze fish continue to be in deeper water. Tides continue to be lower than low in the bay pushing the fish to deeper channels. Redfish are biting cut mullet. Oversized drum at the jetties. Drums are biting dead shrimp. Report by Captain Aerich Oliver, Rockport Paradise Outfitters.
Baffin Bay
SLOW. 53 degrees. Activity has sparked up in Baffin Bay. Last weeks major cold front dropped our water temperatures down 20 degrees at one point. Water temperature is currently lingering in the 50s. No known fish kill in our area. Baffin has a lot of good cover and deep drop offs which are areas where fish can seek shelter during conditions as such. Signs of baitfish are crucial this time of year, which can be diving pelicans, swirls, baitfish jumping out of the water and slicks. Focus on deep drop offs, parallel guts and scattered grass beds. Custom Corky boogeyman or copper dog, or MirrOlure Little John XLs in dark colors with a 1/32 ounce hook has been my top producing set up. Stay safe out on the water, be courteous of others and let them go if you can, as always tight lines! Report by Captain Reanna DeLaCruz, Captain Reanna’s Baffin Bay Adventures. Conditions are cold with low tides. Before the front fish were deep biting live shrimp. Report by Captain Gilbert Barrera, Baffin Bay Hunting and Fishing.
Port Mansfield
SLOW. 53 degrees. Cold conditions have kept fishing relatively slow. However as the water warms, fishing should improve. When water temperatures hit 63 degrees redfish and trout will start taking topwaters such as Mansfield Knockers. Scattered grass beds will be key. Look for bait fish and consider soft plastics if fish are not eagerly taking topwaters. Report by Captain Wayne Davis, Hook Down Charters.
South Padre
SLOW. 60 degrees. Cold and rainy winter weather for fishing. Redfish can be caught, if you put in the time, with live shrimp and fresh cut mullet. Still some trout in deeper water, best bite free shrimping along drop offs. Some signs of a fish kill, but very few are trout or redfish. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Port Isabel
SLOW. 60 degrees. Cold and rainy winter weather for fishing. Redfish can be caught, if you put in the time, with live shrimp and fresh cut mullet. Still some trout in deeper water, best bite free shrimping along drop offs. Some signs of a fish kill, but very few are trout or redfish. Stay safe out there! Report by Captain Lou Austin, Austin Fishing South Padre.
Source: TPW